Choose a Moody Shade
If you're lacking light in the basement, lean into the darkness by painting the walls in a moody shade, like this charcoal gray living room. It feels cocooning, comforting, and sophisticated all at once.
Entertain with a Dry Cocktail Bar
Turn your basement into the ultimate entertaining space with a cocktail bar. All you need is a sideboard or storage table to store the liquor and your special glassware. Here, the cozy bar nook is styled with a gorgeous lamp, a house plant, and a decorative tray for garnishes.
Build a Library
There’s something about bookcases filled with your favorite novels that create a wholesome and comforting feel in a room. A quiet basement room is an ideal place to install built-ins for a cozy home library.
Light and Bright
Whether you have a good amount of natural light in your basement or you're working with a windowless space, you can make it feel light and airy by painting it in a bright color. The white backdrop in this basement living room allows the eclectic mix of furniture and decor to take center stage.
Elevate with Wall Paneling
Wall paneling is a stylish and practical decor for basements. Not only does it add depth and luxurious texture to the space, but it also brings added durability, protection, and insulation to cold basement walls.
Create a Cinema Room
Basement spaces lend themselves well to TV rooms or home theaters, due to their often limited natural light. To create your own cinema room, fill the space with a comfortable sofa that is big enough to seat the whole family, and look forward to a weekly movie night.
Paint an Accent Wall
This easy and inexpensive color-blocking technique will add depth and interest to your plain, flat basement walls. These DIY painted arches create a fun focal point and the perfect frame for the picture ledge.
Create a Home Office
Basements are removed from the hustle and bustle of daily domestic life, often making them one of the quietest spaces in the house. That makes them the perfect place to retreat for a high-focus environment for working and studying.
Cozy Basement Fireplace
Create the ultimate space to hunker down with your latest page-turner. Adding a fireplace to the basement (whether real or electric) will provide a quiet space to relax at the end of the day. To create a cozy reading nook, add a plush sofa or pair of armchairs, a soft rug, and stylish reading light.
Add a Kitchenette
If you frequently have overnight guests and have a spare en-suite bedroom in your basement, installing a small kitchenette might make sense for you. That way, your guests can enjoy a bit of independence during their stay. It also makes for a great space to entertain.
Hang a Gallery Wall
Decorate your basement with a curated display of your favorite artwork and photos. Gallery walls are an easy way to create a focal point in a room and make the space feel more personal.
Warm Wood Tones
Combat the cold feel of a basement by incorporating wood walls and ceiling. As well as being an excellent insulator, wood's natural texture and tone add warmth to any space.
Experiment with Wallpaper
The basement is the perfect place to experiment with bold wallpaper designs you might not be brave enough to put in more high-traffic parts of the house. The exotic monochrome wallpaper fills this basement study with personality and charm.
Make Use of Transitional Spaces
If you have a transitional space—like an odd nook or hallway—in your basement, add functional decor. This antique furniture and chess set, coupled with a collection of drawings carefully hung on textured wallpaper, adds a welcoming touch to what would otherwise be an empty corner.
Create a Kids Playroom
Keep the kids out of mischief with a big playroom area in the basement. It’s the perfect place for your little ones to live out their imaginary worlds and get creative while keeping the clutter and mess out of sight.
Embrace a Rustic Aesthetic
Celebrate the rustic character of a stone basement by accentuating it with cottage-style furniture and decor. The exposed stone wall and upcycled furniture create a cozy living room full of personality and charm.
Add Bold Color
If wallpaper isn’t your thing, capitalize on your favorite color palette instead. This stylish green living room celebrates the homeowner’s love of color and livens up a lower-level living space.
Keep It Simple
The secret to transforming your basement into a stylish, contemporary living space? Keep it simple. Note how this modern living room is void of clutter, and every piece of furniture and decor feels intentional.
Enjoy a Wet Bar
Save yourself the effort of going upstairs to the kitchen with a small basement wet bar. What makes a wet bar ‘wet’ is the addition of a sink with running water, unlike a dry bar, which does not require plumbing. This one even has a mini fridge for keeping cold drinks and snacks on hand!
Create Unexpected Spaces
If your basement is big enough, explore different layouts that allow you to create unexpected spaces for various activities. This little study has been carved out of a family room and hidden behind a bookcase.